Iowa and No. 25 Wisconsin are headed into the 100th meeting of a series that has stayed razor-thin for decades, with the Badgers carrying a tiny 49-48-2 edge all-time.
But recent history has belonged to the Hawkeyes. Iowa has taken the last four games in the Heartland Trophy matchup and has outscored Wisconsin 118-26 over that stretch.
Even so, these teams have not exactly made a habit of dramatic finishes. Since 1999, just 10 of the 25 meetings have been decided by one score or less, and the last one-possession game came in 2019, when Wisconsin escaped 24-22.
The Hawkeyes also enter with one trophy-game trend firmly on their side: they have not dropped consecutive trophy games since 2014, when they went 0-4 against Wisconsin and Nebraska.
Wisconsin arrives ranked 25th in the AP Poll and fresh off one of the most eye-catching wins of its season, a 24-7 result over USC. The Badgers held the Trojans to -18 rushing yards, backed by five sacks and 10 tackles for loss. That defense has been the backbone of the team’s surge, and in Big Ten play it is giving up just 11.8 points per game, the best mark by any Power 4 team in conference games.
Iowa’s challenge gets tougher with Kamari Moulton out for the season because of an injury. The Hawkeyes will need to find answers in a matchup where both teams have struggled to throw the ball: Iowa averages 207.6 passing yards per game, while Wisconsin sits at 179.4, and both rank in the bottom four in the Big Ten in that category.
The matchup up front should be a major part of the story. Iowa is second in the Big Ten with 22 total sacks and has allowed the fewest sacks in the conference with six. On the other side, Wisconsin linebacker Sebastian Cheeks leads the Big Ten with 34 total pressures this season.
The tackling numbers around Iowa tell their own story. Jayden Montgomery, Cam Buffington and Zach Lutmer are all averaging at least eight tackles per game in Big Ten play, and Buffington is tied for the conference lead with 62 total tackles.
Wisconsin’s offense has gotten work from quarterback Colton Joseph, who leads the Badgers in rushing with 365 yards. Abu Sama III, a transfer from Iowa State and a Southeast Polk alum, is Wisconsin’s lead running back and is averaging 5.8 yards per carry. He is the lone Iowan on the roster.
There are also familiar faces on the Iowa sideline. Running backs coach Jay Norvell, a Madison native, was on Wisconsin’s staff from 1989-94, and wide receivers coach Jon Budmayr coached on the Badgers’ staff from 2015-20.
One more number hangs over Iowa as it heads into this one: the Hawkeyes accumulated 39 total penalties all of last season. Through seven games in 2026, they already have 43.
In Other News...
Iowa Has Two Huge Questions To Answer Against Wisconsin
Iowa heads into its matchup with Wisconsin trying to shake off a recent loss and find a little more rhythm on offense, where the Hawkeyes have spent plenty of time searching for answers. Hank Brown is back in the starting role at quarterback, which gives this game a different feel, but the bigger issue remains the same for a team that needs more consistent production if it wants to keep pace in the Big Ten.
On the other side of the ball, Xavier Styles has a key job in helping Iowa deal with Wisconsins passing game, and that responsibility puts even more pressure on the Hawkeyes to be sharp in all three phases. For Iowa, this is the kind of week where a strong plan is only part of the equation. The defense can help, but the offense has to do its part too if the Hawkeyes are going to turn things around. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa-Wisconsin May Come Down To One Familiar Hawkeyes Edge
Luke Fickell didnt need much prompting to revisit the recent history between Wisconsin and Iowa, and from the Hawkeyes perspective, it is a familiar kind of pregame conversation. The Badgers coach pointed to the way Iowa has controlled the matchup in the rushing game and on the turnover ledger in recent meetings, a reminder that this series often comes down to the same basic football Iowa has built its identity around.
Now the subplot includes injuries at running back on both sides, adding another layer to a game that already tends to hinge on consistency and ball security. Wisconsins Abu Sama, a former Iowa State player, has been limited by injury but still flashed in the recent game against USC, and his availability is part of the larger question facing a Wisconsin offense trying to find steadier footing against an Iowa defense that rarely gives up easy answers. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Faces A Huge Kinnick Test After That Sloppy Loss
The next chance to reset comes at Kinnick Stadium, where Iowa is set to host Wisconsin in a Big Ten matchup that suddenly carries more edge after a sloppy loss. The Hawkeyes will still have the usual home-field lift in Iowa City, and oddsmakers have made them a 3.5-point favorite in a game with a low 36.5 total that points to the kind of grind-it-out afternoon both teams tend to play.
For Iowa, this is the sort of spot that can either settle things down or deepen the concerns if the mistakes linger. Wisconsin brings another physical test, and the setting only adds to it, with the game on FS1 and streaming through the FOX Sports App for a national audience watching to see whether the Hawkeyes clean things up fast. [Read more 🡒]